Testimonies of a Christian and lessons learned on the journey. Psalm 119:2

Archive for the category “Faith”

Sometimes you have to encourage yourself in the midst of a struggle. This is a psalm I wrote to cope with frustrations, but also reminding me of the God I serve. I pray that it encourages you.

Oh God, you have hidden me from man! You make me to be quiet in the face of my inner turmoil. I cannot be comforted by others words nor does my heart understand the wait. Yet God, you will keep me. You will sustain me. You will not forget your servant. Though I have failed you time and time again, you accept my remorseful heart and lift me up out of my condemnation. You will not forget my name though you take your time to call it out loud. When you call me I will come running and I will rejoice for you will remember your servant. You will sing over me and rejoice with me. I know full well that I belong to you and that the enemy cannot take me. You have fought the darkest waters and saved my drowning soul. You love your servant though your voice is quiet. Oh God I call out to you in my tears, do not forget me here! If it is not my time to come home to you, make my waters here sweet. Let there be dancing and singing. For I know that I do not deserve the honor, but oh God that you would elevate an unworthy servant for your namesake! Your glory would be my claim to righteousness. I AM your beloved. I am your daughter and your body. You cannot forsake your hands or your feet and I walk this life for you though at times, it may be a painful crawl. I look to you to be my rescue. You will rescue me from my doubt, my own fleshly desires, my sins and my fear. Lord I will call to you and you will come swiftly for you hear my prayers.

One prayer that I frequently pray for myself is: “God help me to see you move today in my life or someone else’s. God don’t let me miss you today!”

Today in church was a pretty typical service, except that it really wasn’t. The strange thing is that I guarantee you most people missed it. We went through the typical things -singing the songs, reading the scriptures, praying for people in need, getting a word from the pastor…and then the closing song. The closing song was a pretty ordinary song, (so much so that I don’t remember the words or what it was even called). However, there was a gentleman in the very back row with his wife so moved by the song, and the Christmas spirit, that at the end of the song he shouts “Hope was born!” Now it wasn’t so loud that people on the other side of the church would hear it, but it was loud enough that those in rows close to him were startled, except, dear reader, for me. Read more…

I thought I would share some thoughts on the front lines of this thing called life. A challenge that I’m continually faced with is learning patience. I have been in graduate school for the past three years studying the art of counseling. It has seemed like an eternity although those around me have said the time has flown. As this season closes and a new one begins, I’ve found myself STRUGGLING. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a planner and I am comfortable with familiar people and routines.

I know I’m a counselor, but I do not like change! And please don’t add change with a waiting period. And please, please don’t say that there will be change, a waiting period and say things will be ambiguous. This is a recipe for me to lose my mind!!! Currently I have been tested with all three things. Oh the horror! As I get closer to my new season, I have been so anxious the past few weeks, and the enemy in the form of doubt had entered the building. I wondered would I really be able to offer the future kids I will work with, the counselor they need? Many of my new clients have been through so much. What do I say? They need a “real” counselor, not lil ol’ me! Will the kids like me? There are so many new people to get to know and I’m feeling overwhelmed. I almost cried at the fear that was rising in my body. Read more…

Dear reader, I will spill the beans…I am single and 32 years old. The years after my college graduation have been hard and I have struggled in waiting for God’s timing to be married. That said, in the last few years I have found a peace and contentment with my singleness. THEN, God told me to start praying for my future husband and preparing myself for marriage. I was excited when I first started praying. Hello future hubby, here I come! And now I continue to pray, prepare and……wait. Read more…

Well dear reader, I FINALLY got my “About” page finished. Yeah! I wanted to share the section about how my blog got it’s name for those who are curious. To read the full “About” page you can click here.

Take care,
egal

The NameLots of blogs have cool and catchy names, but why would I pick a name like Enduring Understandings? A while back I had an amazing opportunity to work at a school in Colorado called Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center. It is an alternative high school and one thing the staff focused on teaching students when I was there was Enduring Understandings. The idea is that each class has a curriculum and concepts that students will need to master to complete the class. However, each class should have a lesson or two that will endure/last long beyond the class. The lesson should be something meaningful that a student will remember long after high school graduation. Something that will endure. When I got to thinking about a title for my blog I thought about how all the things God as Rabbi (teacher) has taught me. They have been helpful tests and lessons that have lasted long beyond the moment that He taught me. My hope is that my testimony on this blog will be lessons that will help you understand yourself and understand God better and that will endure. I pray that you will run this race strong! My hope, dear reader, that your own journey will bring you closer to the Eternal Teacher because that is the best lesson learned.

And because I’m a teacher at heart, below are some definitions and scriptures. Lol! There are lots of scriptures to talk about enduring and the power of a believer’s testimony, but here are two to think on.

Ecclesiastes 3:14I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.

Psalm 119:2Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.

Enduring understandings are statements summarizing important ideas and core processes that are central to a discipline and have lasting value beyond the classroom. They synthesize what students should understand—not just know or do—as a result of studying a particular content area.

The word “curriculum” began as a Latin word which means “a race” or “the course of a race” (which in turn derives from the verb currere meaning “to run/to proceed”).

Testimony: Thestatementordeclarationofawitnessunderoathoraffirmation,usuallyincourt; evidenceinsupportofafactorstatement;proof; opendeclarationorprofession,asoffaith. From the Latin meaning to function as a witness.

A few months ago my friend wrote a book called “How To Overcome Heartbreak”. She interviewed several people, including me, to hear how they overcame their individual life challenges. Check out my interview below!

Interview Questions:

1. What does the word “overcome” mean to you?

To me the word “overcome” means to experience a challenging circumstance and to be a survivor of the challenge. I am a geek so I also like to look at the dictionary definition which says “to get the better of a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat; to overcome the enemy; to prevail; to overcome one’s weakness”. And my favorite is “to gain the victory”. Read more…

The picture above is my church on Palm Sunday. Every Palm Sunday my church goes outside and blesses the palms we have. Then as a church, we process inside singing Hosanna. It resonated with me this year, more than in years past how fickle we can be as people. The crowd was praising Jesus one day, calling Him “King” and in the time frame of a week turned on Him. They went from loving and adoring him, to hating him. How often do we say, “Lord you can be ruler of my life. You can be my King.” Then we turn around and say, “except for my finances, this unhealthy relationship, my job, etc.”? This year I had a prayer for myself and other believers. My prayer was that we not be like the crowd and fickle in our faith. Read more…

The post below was originally written January 15, 2011. I thought it was timely with the things going on in my life now to share again. I hope that it encourages you. God has brought me such a long way from where I was when I wrote this originally. He has taught me so much and done so much healing. I’m SO excited to see what else He’s going to do. God answers prayers people! I am a living testimony! Please also see a connected post on my other blog for more encouragement. http://lovethtstrue.blogspot.com/2015/02/awesome-god.html

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I want God to ignite my words with a match made in Heaven so that they burn in the heart of everyone who reads them or hears them, making them a furnace that spreads God’s warmth and light around the world.